Dance Minor

Home > Academics > Dance

Develop lifelong movement practices rooted in our distinct Movement Fundamentals curriculum. Prepare for a career in dance or learn how to apply your distinct creativity to another field.

Request Information

Why Study Dance?

Studying dance helps you develop creativity, confidence, and self-expression. It encourages respect for all bodies. Dance promotes self-discipline and physical health, as well as empathy and self-awareness.

Often performed in community, dance teaches communication, collaboration, and teamwork. These are skills essential for success in a wide variety of careers.

Why Study Dance at Luther?

At Luther, dance is for everyone, no matter your level or ability. Our dance program is distinct. It pursues a radical and progressive approach to dance through Movement Fundamentals (MF). Luther’s MF dance curriculum nurtures the birthright of moving efficiently, frequently, and creatively.

Movement Fundamentals and the dance minor focus on:

Healing
Sense of community
Functionality
Connection
Communication
Progress
Understanding of self

MF teaches you to see your body as intelligent. This practice teaches that people of every age and ability can dance. Dance at Luther cultivates a sense of individual artistry within community.

Student Productions

Perform on stage as a part of the dance program’s annual productions or in a variety of other pieces through our courses and student organizations.

Scholarships

Luther dance scholarships recognize incoming students who display outstanding potential for participation in Luther’s dance program. Audition to be considered!

Collaborative Facilities

Explore your creativity and expressivity in Luther’s Center for the Arts, where our dance, theatre, and art departments collaborate and produce in a constantly changing 225-seat performance venue.

What You’ll Learn

Dance at Luther will expand the capabilities of your body and imagination. Through movement and collaboration, you’ll develop capacities for persistence, invention, and communication.

Our dance program will equip you to thrive in a complex world. Here, you’re encouraged to develop your own research in artistry and movement. You’ll learn to engage the dance world as a performer, choreographer, teacher, and collaborator.

The Movement Fundamentals curriculum is the foundation for dance at Luther. As a dance minor, you’ll take three courses rooted in holistic and somatic (body-based) practices. Through these courses, you’ll explore the principles of alignment and function, range and efficiency, and vocabulary and intention.

Along with MF, your education will be shaped by Contact Improvisation. The principles of this course will enable you to center your mind and body through the exploration of physical contact.

Our somatic approach to dance will help you refine your dance technique and build off of prior training and daily movement practices. At the same time, Luther’s dance program will add sophistication to your dance and performance artistry through movement-based explorations and research. You’ll also write an artist statement and create an original solo or group collaboration.

Curriculum

Dance at Luther is completely different than anything I've done before.

Tosha Guldan '23

Careers and Outcomes

Dance students at Luther are well-equipped for a variety of pursuits post-graduation. Some Luther students who graduate with a dance minor further their study of dance, perform, and/or teach in places as diverse as Mexico, Germany, Ireland, Italy, China, Ukraine, Belgium, and across the US. Other Luther dance alumni have gone on to create their own dance or movement businesses, schools, or companies.

Career Fields

Dance artists
Dance scholars
Dance therapists
Graduate students
Choreographers
Dance teachers
Studio/company managers
Chiropractors and massage therapists

Employers

Earthdance
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago
Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts
Zenon School of Dance
Stuart Pimsler Dance and Theatre
TU Dance
Broadway Dance Center
Gibney Dance

Our Commitment

The dance program at Luther works to create a safe, affirming, and welcoming community for all. We have a commitment to addressing all forms of bias and oppression. Our program aims to support a culture for people of all races, genders, ages, abilities, national origin, religions, and sexual orientation.